Fundamental of computer

Types of computer:-

Mainly computers are divided into 4 types according to there function & capacity.

1. Super Computer
2. Mainframe Computer
3. Mini Computer
4. Micro Computer

1)) Super Computer :-

  { CRAY Research: CRAY - 1 & CRAY - 2, Fujitsu (VP 2000), Hitachi (S820), NEC (SX 20), PARAM 10000 by C-DAC, Anupam by BARC, PACE series by DRDO }

• Most powerful computer system - needs a large room.
• Minimum world length is 64 bits.
• CPU speed : 100 MIPS.
• Equivalent to 4000 computers.
• High cost : 4 - 5 millions.
• Able to handle large no. of data.
• High power consumption.
• High precision.
• Large & fast memory ( Primary & Secondary )
• Uses multiprocessing & parallel processing
• supports multi programming.

Applications :-

• In petroleum industry - to analyze volumes of seismic data which are gathered during oil seeking explorations to identify areas where there is possibility of getting petroleum products inside the earth.
• In aerospace industry - to simulate airflow around an aircraft at different speeds & altitude. This helps in producing an effective aerodynamic design for superior performance.
• meteorological centers use super computer for weather forecasting. 
• For weapons research & development, sending rockets to space etc.
• In automobile industry - to do crash simulation of the design of an automobile before it is released for manufacturing - for better automobile design.
• In biomedical research - atomic nuclear & plasma analysis to study the structure of viruses.

2)) Mainframe Computer :-

  { IBM 3000 series, Burroughs B7900, Univac 1180, DEC }

• Able to process large amount of data at very high speed.
• Supports multi user facility.
• Number of processors varies from one to six.
• Cost : reached some million.
• Kept in air conditioned room to keep them cool.
• Supports many I / O & auxiliary storage devices.

Applications :-

• Used to manage large centralized database.
• Used to process large amount of data at very high speed used in Banks / Railways / Insurance companies / Hospitals.
• Used as controlling nodes in WANs.

3)) Mini computers :-

  { Digital Equipment PDP 11 / 45 & VAX 11 }

• Designed to support more than one user at a time.
• Support faster peripheral devices like high speed printers.
• Can also communicate with Mainframes.
• Perform better than Micros.
• Large in size & costlier than micros.
• Posses large storage Capacities & operates at higher speed.

Applications :-

• Used to control & monitor production process.
• These computers are used when the volume of processing is large.
• To analyze results of experiments in laboratories.
• Used as servers in LANs.

4)) Micro Computers :-

  { IBM PC, PS / 2 & Apple Machintosh }

•  Micro computers are designed to be used by only one person at a time.
• Small to medium data storage capacities.
• A Micro computer uses a micro processor as it's central processing unit
• Micro computers are tiny computers that can vary in size from a single chip to the size of a desktop model.

Applications :-

• Used in the field of Desktop Publishing (DTP), Accounting, Statistical analysis, Graphic Designing, Investment analysis, Project Management, Teaching, Entertainment etc.
• Different models of Microcomputers are

1. Personal Computers
2. Note Book / Lap Top
3. Palm Top
4. Wrist PC.